Build a Vanishing Water Feature

By Lyn Hayes, Forsyth County Master Gardener

TownLoafer Magazine, January 2007

Adding water to your landscape always gives it a pleasing touch. The sound of water can be very soothing and will enhance any garden. The off-season is a great time to look at your landscape and contemplate creative, new ways to expand planting beds or add areas of interest to your outdoor living space. A vanishing water feature creates a lively point of interest. They are easy to construct, require low maintenance, and will compliment your patio or deck space. They consist of a large urn or pot that is placed in a bed of rocks and filled with water. The water overflows the urn and cascades down the sides, appearing to vanish into the ground, where it is pumped back up to continue the process. Let’s look at what’s involved in creating this exciting water feature.

Location
First, evaluate your property and decide on the best location for your water feature. Take into account that the space will need to be level and have access to electricity. You will not need a water source at the fountain continually. Once you fill it you will only need to top it off on occasion. Building it near your outdoor living space will enable you to enjoy the tranquil sounds of water. Do not choose a remote area that you never visit.

Second, look at the size of the area and the size of urn or pot you might place in it. The standard sizes of the preformed reservoirs are 2’x 2’, 3’x 3’ and 4’x 4’. Of course, you can use your creativity and construct your own custom reservoir (see instructions below) however the preformed boxes are easy to install and will last over time. As always, before you dig check for buried utilities, cables, and irrigation systems.

Installation of Custom Reservoir
Measure out a square area for the hole and dig it as deep as the depth of the wood. Cut pressure treated wood to fit the hole to create a box then secure the corners with nails. Make sure when placing the wooden box in the hole that it is level. This can be achieved by adding sand to the hole. Cover the wooden box with a heavy duty rubber pond liner; 45 Mil is recommended. Secure the liner by draping it over the sides and back filling it with soil.

Installation for the Preformed Reservoir
Dig a hole the same size and depth as your reservoir box: approximately 14” deep. The lip of the box needs to sit flush with the soil. Fill the bottom of the hole with sand to help with the leveling process. The grate and the mesh will sit on a shelf inside the box just below the lip. Level the box and back fill with soil and pack it down to secure it.

Assembling the Grate
Cut a small access panel on one corner of the grate. This will create an access panel so you can get to your pump. Use zip ties to create a hatch so you can lift the panel once you have covered the grate with mesh and rocks. Place the cinder blocks (2 or 3) to support the urn in the center of your reservoir. Mark the area in the center of the grate where you will need to cut a small hole for your plumbing. If your reservoir is 3’ x 3’, 4’ x 4’ or larger, blocks will need to be placed in each corner to add support to the urn. Lay the grate on top of the blocks.

Lay the mesh on top of the grate. Cut a hole for the tubing and slice along the area of the access panel allowing you to lift it up and down.

Place the pump in the reservoir near the access panel.

Placing the Urn
Once you have placed and sealed a barb fitting through the hole in the bottom of the urn, with the urn on its side, connect the tubing to the barb fitting. Leave plenty of tubing to spare to connect to the pump once the urn is in place. Feed your tubing through the hole in the grate. Pick up the urn & slowly lower it to the center of the grate. Level the urn using plastic shims. Connect the tubing to the pump and secure it with the clamp. Secure the 1” PVC pipe on the fitting inside the urn. Do not glue this pipe in place. You will need to pull it out to drain the urn during the winter.

Cover the mesh with decorative rocks for the topping.

Finally, fill the reservoir with water, plug in the pump, and enjoy your beautiful “Vanishing Water Feature!”